Conflicting advice on reqs for Transit Visa in China. Correct answer?
Nov 6th, 2013, 12:58 PM
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Conflicting advice on reqs for Transit Visa in China. Correct answer?
I have googled this topic and find conflicting comments. I don't find anything on China's FAQ site for its Embassy to the USA that reassures me. The Chinese consulate's number I've called rings busy the whole time.
Do I need a transit Visa for China under the following facts?
--I am a United States citizen.
--My U.S. passport is valid for several more years.
--This December, I depart from Los Angeles arriving in Beijing on a Saturday.
--I then change planes in Beijing, departing for Bangkok.
--My layover time in Beijing is less than 4 hours.
--I am not exiting the airport for any reason.
--My flight to Beijing is a United flight operated by Air China.
--My flight out of Beijing to Bangkok is a United flight opearted by Air China.
Sorry if my question is old hat to some of you, but, given the situation, I don't want to assume too much and find I've got a major problem in China and unable to complete my trip.
Do I need a transit Visa for China under the following facts?
--I am a United States citizen.
--My U.S. passport is valid for several more years.
--This December, I depart from Los Angeles arriving in Beijing on a Saturday.
--I then change planes in Beijing, departing for Bangkok.
--My layover time in Beijing is less than 4 hours.
--I am not exiting the airport for any reason.
--My flight to Beijing is a United flight operated by Air China.
--My flight out of Beijing to Bangkok is a United flight opearted by Air China.
Sorry if my question is old hat to some of you, but, given the situation, I don't want to assume too much and find I've got a major problem in China and unable to complete my trip.
Nov 6th, 2013, 01:28 PM
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You may remain IN the transit part of airport for no more than 24 hours. Also you may LEAVE the airport for no more than 72 hours also with no visa, but a temporary visa exemption if you are ticketed and have a booked seat to a third country within 72 hours.
Nov 6th, 2013, 01:33 PM
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this webpage is very clear. I agree.. the China Embassy page seems outdated
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/intro2.htm
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/intro2.htm
Nov 10th, 2013, 02:42 AM
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> Every nationality can transit for no more than 24 hours.
Utter rubbish. For numerous developed nations transiting Beijing the limit is 72 hours, and you may leave the airport but must remain within the limits of Beijing. There is a counter en route from the aircraft to immigration which issues the visa, and counters in the arrivals lounges with English speakers offering further details if needed.
Utter rubbish. For numerous developed nations transiting Beijing the limit is 72 hours, and you may leave the airport but must remain within the limits of Beijing. There is a counter en route from the aircraft to immigration which issues the visa, and counters in the arrivals lounges with English speakers offering further details if needed.
Nov 10th, 2013, 04:04 PM
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I think JPDeM meant that EVERYONE can transit and leave the airport for 24 hrs. not taking away form the fact that some can leave for longer.
I had understood ere the "transit area" as the aiport but perhaps it is extended to the city, JPDeM?
"... For Direct Transit
No visa is required for foreigners who hold tickets to the final destination and have booked seats on international airlines, ships, trains transiting directly through China, and will stay for less than 24 hours and do not leave the specified transit area...."
I had understood ere the "transit area" as the aiport but perhaps it is extended to the city, JPDeM?
"... For Direct Transit
No visa is required for foreigners who hold tickets to the final destination and have booked seats on international airlines, ships, trains transiting directly through China, and will stay for less than 24 hours and do not leave the specified transit area...."
Nov 10th, 2013, 06:58 PM
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Rather than insulting others or showing off how much one knows about Chinese laws, how about some practical facts.
To make it clear, 24-hour transit and the 72-hour Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou OR Shanghai transits are two different things. Don't confuse the two.
1. 72-hour transit at PEK, CTU, CAN or PVG/SHA
Since the OP is asking about Beijing, let's talk about the 72-hour Transit Without Visa first. It applies to nationals of about 45 countries. Must hold valid connecting flights to a third country. One must leave from the same region. So, if you fly into PEK, CTU or CAN you must fly out of PEK, CTU or CAN respectively. If you fly into SHA or PVG, you must depart from SHA or PVG - can switch airport in Shanghai.
The embassy sites (which may or may not be actual Chinese law) say for PEK, one must remain in the Municipality of Beijing, which include Badaling and Mutianyu parts of the Great Wall, but not the ports of Tianjin, for example. For Shanghai, again, the municipality, which doesn't include Suzhou or Hangzhou. For CTU, must remain in municipality of Chengdu, which includes Dujiangyan but not Leshan. For CAN, you must remain in Guangdong Province, which is a much bigger area than those for PEK, CTU and PVG/SHA.
HAVING SAID THAT, that "rule" is not enforced and as you expect, UNENFORCEABLE, if you leave those area by many means. But that doesn't mean you can actually just go anywhere - for example, Chinese airports do have passport/ID checks when flying domestically, and they do look at your document. So, flying internally, say from PEK to XIY to see the terra cotta warriors, while on a 72-hour visa-free transit (they have a special stamp in your passport) COULD be a problem.
2. 24-hour transit
The 24-hour transit applies to "all foreigners" with a valid connecting flights to a third country. I don't know if there are exception. This is not city specific, and it applies to PEK, CTU, CAN, PVG/SHA for those NOT included in the 72-hour rule. Now, because each airport is set up differently, your experience may vary from airport to airport. This means, you MAY OR MAY NOT be allowed to leave a sterile transit area. If you're doing a normal transit for a few hours and have no intention of leaving the airport, apparently, it's not an issue. BUT if you are trying to use this visa-free transit to do sightseeing AND/OR overnight transit, you SHOULD really check and ask around in various forums.
For example, before one could get 72-hour visa-free transit at CAN earlier this year, I have read at least one report that one must remain in the sterile transit area, and was not allowed to enter China.
But at other airports, there simply may not be a sterile transit area, and one is allowed to enter China. And again, once you're in, there's no person stopping you from leaving the airport, the city, or the municipality. It is simply unenforced and UNENFORCEABLE.
To make it clear, 24-hour transit and the 72-hour Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou OR Shanghai transits are two different things. Don't confuse the two.
1. 72-hour transit at PEK, CTU, CAN or PVG/SHA
Since the OP is asking about Beijing, let's talk about the 72-hour Transit Without Visa first. It applies to nationals of about 45 countries. Must hold valid connecting flights to a third country. One must leave from the same region. So, if you fly into PEK, CTU or CAN you must fly out of PEK, CTU or CAN respectively. If you fly into SHA or PVG, you must depart from SHA or PVG - can switch airport in Shanghai.
The embassy sites (which may or may not be actual Chinese law) say for PEK, one must remain in the Municipality of Beijing, which include Badaling and Mutianyu parts of the Great Wall, but not the ports of Tianjin, for example. For Shanghai, again, the municipality, which doesn't include Suzhou or Hangzhou. For CTU, must remain in municipality of Chengdu, which includes Dujiangyan but not Leshan. For CAN, you must remain in Guangdong Province, which is a much bigger area than those for PEK, CTU and PVG/SHA.
HAVING SAID THAT, that "rule" is not enforced and as you expect, UNENFORCEABLE, if you leave those area by many means. But that doesn't mean you can actually just go anywhere - for example, Chinese airports do have passport/ID checks when flying domestically, and they do look at your document. So, flying internally, say from PEK to XIY to see the terra cotta warriors, while on a 72-hour visa-free transit (they have a special stamp in your passport) COULD be a problem.
2. 24-hour transit
The 24-hour transit applies to "all foreigners" with a valid connecting flights to a third country. I don't know if there are exception. This is not city specific, and it applies to PEK, CTU, CAN, PVG/SHA for those NOT included in the 72-hour rule. Now, because each airport is set up differently, your experience may vary from airport to airport. This means, you MAY OR MAY NOT be allowed to leave a sterile transit area. If you're doing a normal transit for a few hours and have no intention of leaving the airport, apparently, it's not an issue. BUT if you are trying to use this visa-free transit to do sightseeing AND/OR overnight transit, you SHOULD really check and ask around in various forums.
For example, before one could get 72-hour visa-free transit at CAN earlier this year, I have read at least one report that one must remain in the sterile transit area, and was not allowed to enter China.
But at other airports, there simply may not be a sterile transit area, and one is allowed to enter China. And again, once you're in, there's no person stopping you from leaving the airport, the city, or the municipality. It is simply unenforced and UNENFORCEABLE.
Nov 11th, 2013, 12:47 AM
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For Beijing (the city about which the original enquiry was made) the information given is precisely that available at the airport, where there are information staff freely giving it out, and whatever websites may say is neither here nor there.
Most of us, with onward flights to third destinations (not returns to the point of origin) may spend 72 hours within Beijing municipality. Registering with a hotel outside that area will be impossible, however, making the rules something less than unenforceable unless sleeping under a hedge is envisaged, or an overland day trip returning to Beijing the same day.
Most of us, with onward flights to third destinations (not returns to the point of origin) may spend 72 hours within Beijing municipality. Registering with a hotel outside that area will be impossible, however, making the rules something less than unenforceable unless sleeping under a hedge is envisaged, or an overland day trip returning to Beijing the same day.
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